#geekasaur

[princechorus]

@geekasaur why r u in this Facebook ad u weren’t even in the article

[tser]

geekasaur replied to your post

“Does bioactive substrate have to have a drainage layer? I feel like if...”

Interesting! I'm considering bio for my leachie in as well. What would you suggest for a CUC?

I’d suggest a very robust CUC for a leachie, with a variety of inhabitants. 

One springtail species (temperate springtails or tropical pinks are both good choices for a humid enclosure)

One dwarf isopod species; dwarf whites or dwarf purples.

One large non-rolling isopod species. Rough (Porcellio scaber; wild coloration or Spanish/Giant Orange) or Giant Canyon (Porcellio dilatatus) would be my choice. They’re both voracious, eat a wide variety, and reproduce readily. 

If more clean up power ends up being required, you could add lesser mealworms/buffalo worms (Alphitobius diaperinus) and/or additional unrelated isopod species. If the lesser mealworms population gets too high, you can remove the adult beetles. A nice large substrate area will help support this large crew.

Dwarf isopods have the benefit of being entirely beneath a large lizard’s notice, while the larger isopods may occasionally get snacked on. They’re generally pretty good at hiding, though, with an appropriate substrate and plenty of leaf litter.

I also recommend that in addition to adding each species to your bioactive enclosure, keep a culture of each species. This way you can “top off” the CUC in the leachie’s enclosure as needed.

[kaijutegu]

Might I ask who you get to watch Kaiju and your other animals when you leave (like a pet-sitter or friend or...?)? I ask mostly because I have no friends near me who keep reptiles and literally never leave because I'm so worried about leaving them with anyone. But I also have terrible anxiety and couldn't leave without having panic attack after panic attack... how do you manage?

I’ve got a couple friends who swing by and look after them. At first, they didn’t have any reptiles either... but then they ended up getting a crestie and now they’re hooked! But they’re not in there every day, they just come by once every few days or so. BUT if you’re looking for full-time boarding, check with your local pet store (petco/smart doesn’t do it as far as I know, but my local place does for $5-10 (depending on size) a day + the cost of food. Most reptile vets do it, too!

[kaijutegu]

Audubon!!! Are you in NOLA?

I was! Got home on Sunday. V. cool city, and ohhh my god the food.

[kaijutegu]

Hi! I just read through that whole post about BP heating (i love that kind of stuff). Might I ask how you heat your BP's?

Yeah! I use Reptile Basics radiant heat panels! I like the heat gradient they provide and I have had zero humidity problems from them!

[charmelon]

geekasaur replied to your post: honestly it is kinda Warning Lights when all we...

Yep, they free-roam.

(unimpressed noises)

I mean like... no wonder we literally never see anything of him engaging in enrichment or even natural tegu behaviours

just being carried/patted/etc like a baby doll or fed treats while he sits there immobile

[sealedbeastnue]

What material did you build pep's enclosure out of? I'm weighing pros and cons of different materials (e.g. wood vs pvs cs something else, acrylic vs glass sliding doors, etc) and I'm OVERWHELMED.

plexiglass doors are invaluable, they bend really well and take damage without a problem and you can drill through them

I just used like... vinyl coated particle board for the sides and pegboard for the back nothing special

silicone sealant around the edges that was bio-safe so that any liquids didnt seep out of “The Craccks”

annnd the rest was either hardware or shit I scrounged up like the tracks and the doorknob. good luck! it wasnt too hard just make sure its like 4 feet long by 18 deep by 18 tall and has doors and a peg backboard and youve given your pupper more than enough room

[thlpp]

geekasaur replied to your photoset “Today marks a week since Pebble has been living with us. Let me tell...”

Try putting a little railing up on that bridge! Even the smartest of tortoises can take a fall every once in a while. That's quite a height for such a little buddy! Such a cute little tort. Awesome setup, too!

Thank you! I will try to come up with some railing thing for him soon. Thinking of lashing a stick of bamboo along the edges.